by Macy Blake
“Bebe!” Augustus stood and Bebe hurried over to him, swatting his arm playfully before air kissing each cheek.
“You are a scoundrel!”
“Guilty as charged.”
“And what is this shirt? Have I taught you nothing?”
Jamie thought Augustus looked nice. He’d put on a pale gray shirt that made his eyes look even more blue somehow.
“Apparently not. I’m lost without you,” Augustus said.
Bebe scoffed. “Now stop being rude and introduce me to this vision standing beside you.”
Augustus smiled and turned to him. “This is my Jamie,” Augustus said. “We have dinner plans tonight, and he didn’t pack anything appropriate to wear.”
Bebe turned sharp eyes to him. “You should always pack for any occasion, darling.” Bebe sighed before looking him up and down. “And I thought your son’s mates needed help.”
“Hey!” Jamie protested. “These are my favorite jeans. They make my ass look fantastic.” Jamie spun around and looked over his shoulder. “Look!”
Bebe did, then grinned. “Oh you are delightful. I can see how you captivated Augustus so. And while I agree that your ass is perfection, we can do better. Come, darling. Let me teach you a thing or two about fit and fabric.”
Augustus smiled at them both. “I’ll wait here.”
Bebe huffed at him but took Jamie’s hand and led him toward a screened area in the corner. “Gretchen! Bring me the racks!”
The woman from earlier appeared a moment later pushing a shopping rack full of clothes. Bebe huffed as he perused the choices, sliding each one to the side with barely a moment spent looking. “No, no, no. All wrong for your coloring. What was I thinking with this? No. Oh, maybe. Hmm.” Bebe turned and looked at him again. “Strip. Put this on. Don’t dawdle. Gretchen! I need a cocktail!”
“I don’t look good in—“
Bebe’s horrified gasp cut off his words. “I’ll forgive you once, because you don’t know me but… this is my life, my dream, my gift. Don’t doubt me!”
Jamie shrugged before pulling off his T-shirt. His skinny jeans followed after he kicked off his Vans. “I mean, if you say so. Your hair is the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen, so I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt here.”
Bebe touched their hair and smiled. “You’re forgiven. Now darling, put the clothes on. I’m all aflutter.”
Jamie bent over and winced. “Um. Hmm.”
Bebe giggled. “Shall I send Augustus in to assist?”
“He broke it. He buys it. That’s our deal”
With another giggle, Bebe slipped outside of the screen. “Augustus! The poor boy can barely walk. You must help him! As Jamie so delightfully says, you broke it. You bought it.”
Augustus laughed again, and Jamie couldn’t help but smile at the sound. He stood waiting in nothing but his skin-tight briefs for the man in question to come around the corner and help him. When he did, Augustus looked him over and the spark of desire flared between them once more.
“No way. Also, do you have any idea how difficult it is to put on pants that tight when your ass aches?”
“I can’t say that I do.”
“No?”
“No.”
“I don’t recommend it.”
“No?”
Jamie tilted his head to the side. “Well, I mean, I recommend it. Five stars. Full review to follow. But I mean….help?”
Augustus moved closer, moving his hands to Jamie’s waist and sliding their bodies together. “Whatever you need.”
Jamie shivered. He should feel vulnerable standing in nothing but his underwear, but with Augustus right there, close and warm and so solid… Jamie had nothing to fear. Nothing could touch him.
Some ridiculous old music started over the sound system, a big band number that brought a smile to Augustus’s lips. “Bebe’s playing matchmaker.”
“Maybe they think you’re going to ravage me in here. And they don’t want to hear it. Ever think of that?”
Augustus purred. And it made every single pore in Jamie’s skin shiver. “I think of little else but the sweet noises you make when I’m inside you. Of the feel of your soft skin rubbing against mine. The smell of us, intertwined together. The look in your eyes when I’m inside you. And the taste of you. Dear Goddess, Jamie, you’re better than the finest wine.”
“This is crazy. You’ve known me for less than a day.”
“Does that change things? Does it lessen the way you respond to me? The way my breath catches when your eyes sparkle and I know you’re going to say something that will make me smile. Does it make me want you less because I’ve had such few chances to taste you?”
“When you put it that way…”
Augustus rubbed his nose against Jamie’s cheek. “Are you really too sore?”
“I’m okay.” And he was. Weirdly. He didn’t even know his own thoughts at the moment.
“Let me help.” Augustus dropped to one knee before taking the pants from Jamie’s hands. He arranged them so Jamie could step in, then guided them up his legs and over his hips. He leaned in and nuzzled Jamie’s cock before raising the zipper and fastening the button.
Jamie forgot how to breathe.
When Augustus stood, he had the button down shirt Bebe had left in his hands. He held it out for Jamie to slide on then proceeded to button each button for him.
He licked his lips when he finished. “Perfect.”
Jamie didn’t even care what he looked like. As long as Augustus kept looking at him like that.
“Bebe!”
Bebe hurried in and fussed over Jamie for a few minutes. He was tugged and poked and arranged, but he never took his eyes off of Augustus.
“Perfect, bag it all up for us along with anything else you like for him. I’m going to take Jamie to lunch and then we’ll be back to pick everything up.”
“Wait, what?” Jamie asked, suddenly realizing he’d lost more than a few minutes of time.
Augustus smiled. “I think you dozed off for a moment, love. I kept you up too late last night.”
Bebe giggled and walked out with a really large selection of clothes.
“What is all that?”
“Hmm,” Augustus non-answered. “Hungry?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t pout.”
“I don’t pout.”
Augustus smiled. “Good. How do you feel about Greek food? There’s a delightful cafe not far from here.”
“I…what did you just do?”
Augustus ran his hand over Jamie’s neck until it rested on the spot he’d marked over and over again throughout the night. “Spoiled you a little. Is that okay?”
Dammit. When his voice got all soft and his eyes shifted to that just-a-little-needy-and-hopeful thing— what the hell was Jamie supposed to say?
“Define a little.”
“Well, I didn’t want you to say I’d ruined you again, so I restrained myself.”
“Says the man who called his helicopter to come give him a lift into town.”
“It’s all relative. Now, I’m starving. Doesn’t some nice pita bread and tzatziki sound refreshing?”
Jamie’s belly fluttered again, but this time a little nervously.
“Did you, like, have me researched or something?”
Augustus frowned. “No. Of course not.”
“Oh. ‘Cause Greek is my favorite. I thought you had some cyber security team that worked with your helicopter people or whatever searching my bank records to find out what my favorite food is.”
“Greek is your favorite.” Augustus’s beaming smile did really horrible ruiny things to his heart. “Mine, too. Now, there’s nothing quite like the villa in Greece where I sometimes vacation. It’s right on the Aegean and one of the villagers— a delightful Yaya whose name I still haven’t learned—makes the most incredible dishes. I’d love to take you there one day.”
Ruined. Destroyed. Wrecked. “I’d love that.”
>
Augustus grabbed his hand and led him over to the pile of clothes he’d changed out of. “Shoes.”
Jamie shoved his feet into his Vans and then felt something slipped onto his nose.
“Sunglasses. Bebe picked them out. It’s a sunny afternoon.”
Jamie sighed. “Food. Then nap. I’m too tired to argue with either of you.” He leaned into Augustus and looked up at him. “Thank you.”
He kept his voice low, barely over a whisper. He wanted the moment to be theirs and theirs alone. Because he was thanking Augustus for more than whatever it was he’d bought. The entire day had been a dream come true, something that he’d look back on for the rest of his life as the most perfect of his life.
“You’re very welcome.” Augustus pressed a kiss to his forehead and they leaned together for another moment.
“Now I need my phone. I’m feeling the need for a selfie. Does Bebe pose?”
Augustus laughed. “I think Bebe will do whatever you want. As would I.”
“Sweet talker. I have a few ideas for selfies with you. They’ll be taken later.” He tried to bust out his sexiest grin, but he had a feeling he looked ridiculous, if the wide smile he got from Augustus was any indication.
“Oh really? Tell me more.”
“No. You perv. Feed me. I’m fading away to nothing here. All I had for breakfast was eggs and toast and fruit and… you.”
Augustus laughed. “And here I thought I was your midnight snack.”
“Nope. You’re my breakfast of champions. You better eat your protein today. You’re going to need your strength tonight. Do we need more lube? I feel like we used both bottles last night.”
The giggles from the other side of the screen were muffled but still easily heard.
“I’ll have the driver stop and get more while we have lunch.”
Jamie blinked. “You will not.”
Augustus’s lip twitched. Jamie smacked him in the arm. “Don’t tease me. I thought you were serious.”
“I would never ask my driver to do something like that. Maxine will take care of—“
Jamie gasped in outrage. “We have plenty of lube.”
Augustus laughed. “Yes, we do. And now the lovely people in the next building know it, too.”
By this point, Bebe’s giggles weren’t capable of being muffled. Jamie poked his head around the screen and glared. “And you! Get over here and take a selfie with me because I have to have proof that you exist. And I want to know if I can find a stylist to do my hair like—“
“Absolutely not,” Augustus said. “Not the curls.”
“They’re mine.”
Augustus scowled and made a frustrated grunt. Jamie tried not to grin. He could actually see the man trying to form an argument and failing. “You said you were mine. Your hair counts.”
“Lame, Augustus. Feed me and maybe I’ll change my mind.”
Augustus huffed as Jamie leaned in and captured a selfie with Bebe.
They left in a flurry of cheek kisses. The car waited for them outside. Jamie raised his phone again and pushed up to kiss Augustus on the cheek. He snapped another selfie, then held out the phone to show Augustus.
His heart fluttered once again. “Send it to me. I love it.”
“I…um… don’t actually have your number.”
“Hmm.” Augustus guided him into the car before taking out his phone. “Give me your number.”
Jamie rattled off the number and moments later his phone dinged with a notification. He opened it to find a one-word text from Augustus. Ruiner.
Jamie grinned and looked over at Augustus’s phone where he had created a new contact. The name box said Ruined. Jamie cackled. “Should that be Ruinee?”
“I don’t think that’s a word,” Augustus said.
“It is now.”
Augustus settled back into the seat and draped his arm over Jamie’s shoulders. After receiving yet another kiss to his forehead, Jamie closed his eyes and smiled. He couldn’t wait to see what they got up to next.
Jamie
Jamie had forgotten exactly how boring business dinners could be. Not that they were a frequent part of his life, but he’d been to one or two. He’d gotten dressed up in the gorgeous outfit Bebe had sent him home with— and he really didn’t even remember trying it on, but apparently he had? Maybe? He knew there was no way he tried on enough clothes to fill the quite frankly obnoxious amount of bags Bebe’s assistant had loaded into the back of the town car after lunch.
By that point, though, Jamie had been stuffed full of tzatziki, and olives, and pita, and moussaka, and he really couldn’t care less. He’d dozed against Augustus’s thigh, his head cushioned as Augustus ran his fingers through Jamie’s hair over and over again.
Now though, they’d had separate showers because Augustus had showered while Jamie napped in the cabin bedroom while Augustus supposedly dealt with some work stuff but actually he’d gotten naked without waking Jamie up and that just wasn’t acceptable. Jamie tugged on the open collar of the shirt and pulled the snug vest down another half inch. He looked great, even if he felt the need to fidget nervously, hoping Augustus approved. He’d even taken the time to style his hair a little and did his favorite trick of getting a couple wayward curls to hang over his forehead. He knew Augustus would love it.
And Augustus had. His gaze had heated the moment Jamie stepped out of the bathroom and he’d found himself caught in Augustus’s grip within seconds. “Perfection,” Augustus had whispered against his lips.
But then, instead of ravaging him, Augustus had pulled away. “Time to go.”
The man was evil. Pure and simple.
The lodge had a separate room off the restaurant for private parties, and that’s where the hostess led them. There weren’t a ton of tables in the room. Only six or so. And they only sat four each. So it wasn’t like they had to socialize with hundreds of people when Jamie wanted nothing more than to untangle the fancy knot of Augustus’s tie, rip open the shirt beneath, try to remember how belts worked, and get himself stuffed full again. Nope. That’s not what the issue was at all.
It was that… there was a weird… buzz… in the air. Jamie couldn’t define what he felt anymore than that. He didn’t want to be in this room. At all. He tried to figure out why, but everyone looked normal. Mostly. The only thing that really stood out to him was that, well, all the partners were clearly separated in age just like he and Augustus were. Which, whatever, no big. But something had his skin vibrating and his head began to ache.
He fidgeted one too many times and Augustus glanced at him with worried eyes. “What’s wrong, love?”
“I’m going to the bathroom. Be back in a few.”
Augustus frowned but nodded. Jamie hurried out into the lobby where he’d seen a restroom sign when they’d checked in… was that only a day ago? It felt like forever.
Jamie escaped into a stall and closed the lid before sitting down. He felt better, like he didn’t have to be worried anymore. Which was weird because he had nothing to be worried about in the first place. He finally managed to get himself together enough to head back to Augustus when the bathroom door opened and several other people entered.
Even though Jamie didn’t know them, he figured out pretty quickly that the newcomers were the partners to the older men in the dinner with Augustus. He knew this because they immediately started gossiping. And within a minute, they were talking about him.
“Can you believe the arm candy Augustus found? I didn’t know he was into our scene, but now that I do, order fucking up, because that man is delicious.”
Another voice added. “Do you think he’s Augustus’s first? I’ve never even heard of him having a boy before.”
“He can’t be,” a third added. “Which is why I’m staying far away. We’ve never seen him at any of the clubs or parties and none of the stores talk about him. Which means if he does have boys they are his dirty little secret and that’s not the life for me.”
�
�Good point. I’d die if I didn’t get to go out. What if we never went on vacation? Or on the yacht?”
Jamie scowled.
“Exactly. If his boys are disposable, I want nothing to do with him. I don’t care if the Eastaughffe’s have more money than god.”
“Eww. He’s probably just using the poor guy. You think we should pull him aside and talk to him. Tell him what he could have?”
“And make more competition? No thank you. I’m only this young and hot for a limited number of years. I’ve got to make bank while I can.”
Flushing and hand washing followed soon after, and then the bathroom door opened and closed once more. Jamie rose, realizing he’d been gone for too long.
“You can come out now.”
Jamie blanched but opened the door. Luckily he saw a familiar face. They’d sort of met the first day. Jamie couldn’t remember his name though. He’d been with the guy who’d talked to Augustus.
“Thanks. I, um, can’t remember your name.”
“Levi. And you’re Jamie. Everyone’s talking about how you captured the king.” Levi grinned and Jamie couldn’t help but grin back.
“I think he captured me?”
“Sounds about right. Ignore them, anyway. They don’t get it. You do. I can tell.”
“I don’t… I have questions.”
“I bet.” Levi smiled again and rubbed his neck. He had a mark similar to the one Jamie had, but his looked… scarred? “You’ll get answers, too. We need to get back.”
“Yeah. I’ll be back in a second. Will you…”
“I’ll tell him you’re okay,” Levi said softly.
Jamie washed his face and hands then fixed his hair and tugged at the vest again. He didn’t know why his skin crawled. Augustus hadn’t promised him anything more than a weekend. Hell, for all Jamie knew, he was nothing more than a nice diversion. He could very well be a dirty little secret. Maybe Augustus would forget all about him the second he left.
